The present invention is directed toward a wear protector for protecting cylindrical structures such as pipes, cables, tubes and the like.
There are many applications where it is desired to protect a cylindrical structure from external wear or damage. For example, it is known to provide cylindrical sleeves to protect a line or cable, as disclosed in Coffman, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,761. Many other examples of cylindrical structures abound for which it may be desired to protect the structure from damage, wear, abrasion, electrical contact, etc. For example, it may be desired to protect an underground utility cable, a pipeline, a fiber optic line, an electrical power transmission line, etc.
Protecting long cylindrical structures by providing an external protective tube-like structure, such as a sheath, presents a number of problems. First, the protective structure must surround the cylindrical structure, but this may be difficult or impossible to accomplish with an installed cylindrical structure. For example, in Coffman, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,761, it is necessary to disconnect at least one end of the line in order to install or replace the protective sleeve.
Yet another problem is that the protective device should be held in place relative to the cylindrical structure. Otherwise, the protective device may move relative to the cylindrical structure, which may expose a portion of the cylindrical structure to damage or wear. Even worse, movement of the protective device may itself abrade or wear against the cylindrical structure.
Several efforts have been made to provide protective structures, but none have proved satisfactory. For example, efforts have been made to provide sectional pieces that may be assembled together to surround a pipe. Examples of the like are disclosed in Kumft, U.S. Pat. No. 990,658; Hurst, U.S. Pat. No. 462,047; Harwood, U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,292; and DeNijs, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,713. Nevertheless, the use of two section members requires that the sections be secured to one another. In Hurst, the entire assembly is held together through bands. In Harwood, the two sections are welded together. In DeNijs, et al., the two sections are attached to one another by means of corresponding projections and slots. While these various fastening mechanisms are functional to assemble the two sections into a protective covering, they nevertheless do not address the problem of fixing the protective device in position relative to the cylindrical structure. They are also unwieldy to assemble.
In a similar fashion, efforts have been made to provide coupling structures to repair broken pipes and the like, but such coupling structures entail several drawbacks. For example, to repair a broken underground water pipe, the pipe must be unearthed or otherwise exposed. A sufficient amount of earth around the pipe must also be removed to allow the pipe to be cut, and to allow sufficient space to secure repair parts to the damaged pipe. In the case of steel pipe, this requires cutting a section of pipe out, threading both ends of the existing damaged pipe, and then adding a coupler to the system. The coupler is expensive and difficult to install. In addition, it inserts a weak point into a pipe which has already failed for one reason or another. If the pipe is formed from a flexible material, such as plastic, the repair is easier but it is still required to cut the pipe cleanly, remove enough earth lengthwise of the pipe to allow the ends of the pipe to be raised in the air and to insert a coupler between the two cut ends. Alternatively, four 90xc2x0 elbow sections may be provided to reduce the amount of earth that must be removed lengthwise. This, however, requires additional removal of earth from around the broken portion of the pipe, and also decreases water flow and induces weak points into the pipe.
What is therefore desired is a protective device for a cylindrical structure that protects the structure from external influences such as wear or abrasion, that may be easily and quickly placed around existing installed cylindrical structures, that remains in fixed relation to the structure, that is easy to disassemble if desired, and that may be easily and inexpensively manufactured.
The present invention overcomes the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art by providing a pair of sections, which when assembled form a tube that surrounds the cylindrical structure to be protected. Each of the sections has inclined opposing mating surfaces. One of the sections has a tongue and the other of the sections has a cooperating groove which together prevent transverse movement of the two sections with respect to one another when assembled. One of the sections has a locking member to resist longitudinal movement of the sections with respect to one another when the sections are assembled.
In a preferred embodiment, the locking member is a protrusion, and the other section defines a recess for receiving the protrusion when assembled. When assembled, the protrusion and recess matingly engage with one another to resist longitudinal movement of the sections with respect to one another.
In another aspect of the invention a method is provided for protecting a cylindrical structure. First, a pair of sections are formed, the pair of sections forming a tube when assembled. Each of the sections has inclined opposing mating surfaces. One of the sections has a tongue and the other of the sections has a cooperating groove to prevent transverse movement of the sections with respect to one another when assembled. One of the sections is placed adjacent to the cylindrical structure to be protected. The other section is then engaged with the one section. The sections are then slid together so that the tongue engages the groove and the protrusion engages the recess, thereby preventing both transverse movement of the two sections with respect to one another. The sections are further joined together to resist longitudinal movement with respect to one another.
The various aspects of the present invention provide several advantages over the prior art protective devices. The protection device may be easily and quickly placed around an existing installed cylindrical structure. The inclined mating surfaces allow the two wide ends of the section to be initially engaged, thereby providing clearance to accept a cylindrical structure. As the two sections are slid together, they tighten together around the cylindrical structure thereby remaining in a fixed position relative to the cylindrical structure. The use of mating protrusions and recesses to prevent longitudinal movement of the two sections with respect to one another allows easy assembly and disassembly if desired. The sections may also be easily and inexpensively manufactured.
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.